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EXPLAINED: Astell kern | Rare Historical Photos

Robots invade vinyl, a key TV upgrade launches, studio monitors vs hi-fi speakers and more

All the hi-fi and home cinema news, direct from our experts

What Hi-Fi?

Our favorite high-end music player brand just unveiled a successor to its 5-star entry-level DAP — though its definition of 'entry-level' might differ to yours

The Astell & Kern PD5 is the brand's latest 'entry-level' digital audio player, and A&K have announced... that they're announcing it.

TechRadar

The Astell & Kern PD5 digital audio player follows the Award-winning SR35 with a 28-hour battery life and eight DACs

That's eight hours more battery than its predecessor, and twice the number of DACs

What Hi-Fi?

From analysis to the latest developments in health,
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I tested it, and Astell & Kern’s new pocketable smartphone DAC is a clear winner for detail, marred just slightly by bantamweight bass

Astell & Kern realises we can’t all afford one of its lovely digital audio players. So it’s trying to bring a little of the A&K magic to your humble smartphone…

TechRadar

Astell & Kern’s valve-toting portable player blends classic analogue tech with “cutting-edge digital audio”

The SP4000T portable player and Clarus in-ears debut at High End Vienna

What Hi-Fi?

High End Vienna 2026: all the news and highlights from Europe's biggest hi-fi show

We're into day two of the festival of high-end hi-fi.

What Hi-Fi?

'More drivers than a Formula 1 grid': A&K makes Christmas come early for audiophiles with its new premium audio player packing built-in quad vacuum tubes, plus new 'Tribrid' 9-driver IEMs to pair with it

Astell & Kern has unveiled a new DAP, called the SP4000T, and new in-ear monitors called the Clarus, and they're not messing around when it comes to audiophile appeal

TechRadar

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Astell & Kern's off-shoot brand just dropped some of the best budget audiophile earbuds of the year — and you won't believe how cheap they are

Astell & Kern's budget-brand, Activo, is back again — here's what I thought of it's new pebble-like in-ear monitors.

TechRadar

'Hard-pressed to find a more affordable pair of IEMs' — Astell & Kern's cheaper sub-brand just released budget 5-driver wired earbuds

Astell & Kern's budget arm has unveiled new wired earbuds, the Scoop, which offer five drivers and multiple connection options for under £100.

TechRadar

I've never considered buying a hi-res MP3 player, but this new A&K DAP has a feature so handy, I'm changing my mind

The first hi-res audio player with built-in hearing tests just landed and if I could afford it, I’d be first in line

TechRadar

Astell & Kern's premium portable player is the first of its kind to personalise its sound to your ears

Your sound, your way

What Hi-Fi?

FiiO M21

There aren’t many great portable hi-res players below the £500 / $500 mark – but has FiiO’s affordable M21 bucked that trend?

What Hi-Fi?

Astell & Kern's copper-clad portable hi-res player vows to elevate the brand's flagship model to new sonic heights

A metal twist on A&K's flagship SP4000 player

What Hi-Fi?

Your iPod never looked this good – Astell&Kern's flagship audio player gets a classy, copper makeover

It launches alongside a new case for your luxury audio goodies.

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These Activo IEMs are an absolute bargain – but there's a catch

Activo's new five-driver IEMs are going to be extremely affordable, but you can't buy them just yet

TechRadar

These quintuple-driver wired earbuds just landed for only $80 – and I want to know how

Who says audiophile-grade listening gear is too expensive? Astell & Kern’s affordable Activo arm just launched five-driver IEMs for $80

TechRadar

This tiny new DAC gives your phone, laptop or games console the audio skills of the world's best hi-res music player

It's the size of a lighter but the HC5 is a delighter –and A&K's new earbuds are pretty special too

What Hi-Fi?

Astell and Kern's pocket-sized DAC vows to "set a new benchmark for portable audio performance"

Also launched is a very expensive pair of IEMs

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news in one place.

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What Hi-Fi?

Don't sleep on these under-the-radar audio gems this Black Friday – here are 6 deals you might have missed

The same big brands tend to dominate these sales events, but we've found some hidden gems

TechRadar

I tested this digital audio player and its sound dominates almost any rival, but there's a catch

Not for the first time, Astell & Kern has delivered a digital audio player it suggests represents “the peak of performance and design”. Is the SP400 an actual peak this time, or just another step in the journey?

TechRadar

Our favorite hi-res audio firm has a new music player, with aptX Lossless, up to 4TB of storage, desktop-class amplification, and an AI chip that's actually useful

FiiO's new flagship portable music player promises power, portability and reference-grade wireless audio

What Hi-Fi?

Fiio's flagship portable player harnesses precision engineering in pursuit of "uncompromising sonic performance"

Fiio unveils the M27

What Hi-Fi?

The Award-winning Astell & Kern A&norma SR35 is still at its lowest ever price

Pick up this Award-winning music player for £200 cheaper than when we tested it.

Astell & Kern and 64 Audio's new high-end IEMs deliver 10-driver delight

Two elite audio brands team up to deliver IEMs that are anything but ordinary.

The 3 best digital audio players worth buying for a high-res audio experience

These Hi-Res Audio DAPs deliver where it matters, at varying budgets

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